Crazy Horse Volksmarch set for this Saturday

Crazy Horse Memorial will once again be holding a Volksmarch at the memorial, this time for the 37th year. The Crazy Horse Volksmarch is an opportunity for hikers to scale what will one day be the largest mountain carving in the world.
Since its inception, the Crazy Horse Volksmarch has become the most popular organized hike in the entire country. One year they had as many as 15,000 participants. The event is sponsored by the Black Hills Chapter of the American Volksmarch Assosication.
The path starts at the base of the memorial and winds hikers up to the nine-story-high face of Crazy Horse. Participants follow dirt trails and gravel roads all the way up to the back side of the monument and up the arm of the sculpture.  The distance of the hike is a 10K (6.2 miles) and happens bi-annually.
Admission to the memorial will be waived for hikers who bring three cans of food to donate, and the American Volksmarch Assiciation’s hike fee is $3 (no credit cards accepted). Hikers and non-hikers without canned goods to donate will be charged regular admission. There is no advance registration for the event. Instead, participants must check-in at the starting point near the upper parking lot. Registration opens at 7 a.m., and hikers can start anytime between 8  a.m. and 1 p.m.. Hikers must be off the trail by 4 p.m., and no late starts will be permitted.
Free parking is available for participants, although due to the popularity of the event, it may be quite a distance from the start-finish point. For that reason, a shuttle service is available to take hikers to and from parking areas. It shoud be noted that some parking is off-pavement or on gravel.